Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (~1525-1594) was an Italian composer of Renaissance music.

http://www.wikipedia.com/images/uploads/palestrina-thumbnail.jpg

(Public domain image from Pratt's History of Music, 1907

He was nicknamed Il Prenestino. He has had a tremendous influence on the development of Roman Catholic church music.

Palestrina left hundreds of compositions, including 105 masses, 400 motets, 200 hymns, psalms, magnificats, lithanies etc., at least 200 madrigals and 9 organ ricercari. His compositions are typified as very clear, with voice parts well-balanced and beautifully harmonized.

He has been chapel master of the Capella Giulia in the St. Peter Church in Rome.

PALESTRINA, GIOVANNI PIERLUIGI DA:

b. at

Palestrina (22 m. e.s.e. of Rome) in 1526; d. at Rome

Feb. 2, 1594. He went to Rome at the age of

fourteen to sixteen and is supposed to have studied

under Claude Goudimel. In 1544-51 he was organist of the principal church of his native city,

and in the latter year became magister puerorum

at St. Peter's, Rome. By his first compositions--

three masses dedicated to Julius III.-- he made so

favorable an impression that he was appointed

musical director of the Julian chapel. He held

similar positions at various chapels and churches in

Rome until his death; and by his compositions,

which are very numerous-- masses, motets, hymns,

and others, of which only one-half have been published--

he produced a complete revolution in the

history of church music. As his masterpiece is

generally mentioned,

Missa Papae Marcelli.